While many of us have been frustrated in recent days over the planned broadcast of USA-Mexico on mun2, the full story of why it ended up there is just now becoming known.

MFUSA has learned that Telemundo did in fact offer the game to ESPN, and at a rate charactarized as in-line with the prevailing standard, as well as consistent with those charged when the Spanish-language channel purchased rights from ESPN. Various media outlets have suggested that the asking price for USA-Mexico was exorbitant, a label that sources claim is inaccurate.

ESPN, for their part, has stated that their desire was to have the the game be available to as many viewers as possible; how that relates to their negotiations with Telemundo is unclear. Sources indicate that Telemundo approached ESPN with a proposal a year ago, only to have their communications go unanswered.

ESPN states that their stance has never been any other than "We do not have the rights to the match"; it's not clear how the prevailing wisdom became that they were priced out of the match.

As we've noted in this space, and as Telemundo president Don Browne told TV Week, the game will be available in English through both mun2 (available in roughly 30 millions homes) as well as through the SAP function on Telemundo.